The Champions
by SophiaScarlett
Summary: Another edition of the Triwizard Tournament is up! Beauxbatons, Hogwarts and Durmstrang reunite together at Hogwarts to fight for the first spot, with a lot of celebration and drama along the way. And soon enough, the rumour in Hogwarts is that Albus Potter can't take his eyes off the Beauxbatons Champion...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **The Arrival**

 _ **30 October 2023**_

I peered through the window, my nose glued to the glass as we made our descent towards the Hogwarts School of Magic and Wizardry. It was completely different from Beauxbatons… our school made much more of an impression with its white high columns, the walls adorned with golden leaf, the beautiful trimmed gardens with magical fountains, where we ate by the river at the sound of the voices of nymphs.

I really doubted we would find nymphs in _here_. Hogwarts was a dark castle on the top of a hill and as far from Versailles as one could go.

"So?" Chloe whispered. "Can you see anything?"

"They're at the entrance. McGonagall's in the front and all the students are behind her," I replied excitedly, before slumping into my seat again.

"Were they wearing black?" Chloe asked again.

"Yeah."

"How do you think they manage, wearing black every day?"

"What's the problem?" Lisa lifted a brow by my left side.

"I'm just saying, blue is much nicer," she said, raising the pale blue sleeves of the Beauxbatons wizard robes. "Black is just awful. It's like going to a funeral every day. Don't you think, Sofia?"

I frowned. "I dunno. I really don't care."

"Besides, what's wrong with funerals?"

I peeked through the window again and frowned. The image was becoming clearer and clearer as we approached them.

"They're so _few_. Do you think the whole school came to meet us? Because I'm telling you, they're really no more than three hundred."

"Three hundred?" Chloe repeated. "No, that can't be their real number."

"But they look like- _ow_! Geez, Chlo, no need to-"

But as soon as I turned back, I realized why Chloe had nudged me on the ribs. Madame Maxime was towering over me, staring me down with very cold eyes that, if possible, made her look even bigger. I froze and smiled sheepishly. She didn't return my smile.

" _Sofia!_ " She thundered. " _Asseyez-vous_!"

" _Oui_ , Madame Maxime," I squeaked, and fell back on my seat between Chloe and Lisa.

As soon as she turned her back on us, my friends broke into laughter.

"It's not funny," I mumbled, but they only laughed harder.

Madame Maxime then continued to supervise the rows of students on the chariot, shouting orders, rectifying someone's hair, posture or clothes. She was nervous because she wanted us to look gracious and cause a good impression as soon as we were out of the carriage. She wanted to show off. But honestly, we were already close to perfection. Everyone was dressed in pale blue, the colours of Beauxbatons, and we all looked polished and beautiful and elegant. Some girls had fished a pocket mirror from their robes and were reapplying their makeups or practicing seductive looks.

"They look like clowns," Chloe whispered in my ear.

I couldn't agree more. Chloe was far more beautiful than they were without even trying. But she had been blessed with natural wavy golden hair, porcelain white skin and eyes the colour of honey. Dressed in our school robes, she looked like an angel.

On my left, Lisa had her arms folded and looked bored. She was the prettiest girl in the school but she didn't really care about it, and on our days off she always wore baggy clothes when she wasn't obliged to wear the uniform. But no matter how she dressed, her face was gorgeous. Her skin had the beautiful tone of chocolate brown and her blue eyes were shaped like almonds and refreshing, the colour of a tropical sea, reminding me of summer. I'd never seen eyes like that before. Her hair was silky and hazel and fairly disheveled, because Lisa really wasn't the type to waste more than five minutes in the bathroom.

Madame Maxime's favourite, Renée, was sitting in the corner. She hadn't touched her makeup because she knew she didn't need it - Renée was a natural ice queen without even trying. She wasn't buzzing with enthusiasm because Hogwarts was honoured to receive her, not the other way around. Her legs were crossed and was staring through the window with a bored look that said that she didn't care if she was miles away from home, she didn't feel the slightest threatened by Hogwarts. They weren't even competition on her eyes.

Everyone was expecting her to win. Everyone knew that her name would be the one called for the Triwizard Tournament.

 _Renée Chastain is our Champion._ That phrase was being sung everywhere since the moment we discovered there would be a new Triwizard Tournament edition. She had been pampered and turned into the school sweetheart in a matter of seconds, and I knew that underneath her frosty attitude, she was enjoying every second of fame.

But _maybe_ her name wouldn't be picked up. I looked at my hands in my lap and swallowed hard. Staring at Renée, so beautiful with her silky blond hair and perfect posture, made me feel self conscious about my image. I took off the scrunchie that was holding my ponytail together and let my red hair run loose over my shoulders.

And before I could do anything else, there was a loud crash and I had to grab Chloe to keep myself from falling. And then we heard the loud _clop-clop-clops_ of the winged horse's hooves against the ground, until we came into a full stop.

Inside, everyone was in mortified silence. We were all thinking the same thing - someone should work on their landing!

But all our nerves were dissipated when the door opened. Jean-Paul hopped down and set a golden stairwell at the door of the carriage. Madame Maxime blocked the whole view with her enormous stature and the carriage shook when it was relieved of her weight.

We heard the Hogwarts students clap as she made her way down the stairs, and we all peeked to get a glimpse. McGonagall was smiling and walked to her. Their voices were barely audible.

"Madame Maxime," she said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"McGonagale," Maxime replied. "'Ow 'arr you?"

"Very well, thank you."

"My pupils," she said, and she waved a hand towards us.

It was the signal. I exchanged an excited look with Chloe as we all rose orderly from our seats. I stood up, passed my hands through imaginary wrinkles in my uniform and followed the line of students who were leaving the carriage.

This was it - Hogwarts at last! I was so excited that-

Suddenly someone bumped into me. I stumbled backwards but Lisa caught me.

"Sofia, you really should be careful." Renée was in front of me, casting me a poisonous smile. Her dark eyes were flashing with amusement.

I narrowed my eyes at her. If Madame Maxime and the whole Hogwarts school weren't watching, I'd make her trip. But I ignored it and let her take the place in front of me.

"Relax," Lisa whispered, sensing my anger.

But the enthusiasm was far greater than the anger. Renée hopped down the carriage into the lawn and suddenly it was my turn to follow her and I had a clear view of the castle as we approached it.

The students formed a mass at the entrance of the dark, colossal castle and it looked like they were organized by age: first years at the front until the seventh years at the back. The last row was formed by teachers. I also stole a curious glance at McGonagall. She was old but very tall and thin, wearing a pointy hat and dark green robes, almost black. Her eyes were polite and her posture was strict.

Chloe was right when she advised us to bring a cloak. Everyone who had just brought their uniform was freezing right now, shaking and burying their noses into mufflers, because our thin silk uniforms offered no protection against the chilly wind. Some Hogwarts students were eyeing us with deep amusement or rolled their eyes like we were idiots. And we kind of were. They had their cloaks on and we were shivering with chattering teeth and miserable expressions.

So much for the grand entrance, Madame Maxime.

"Would you prefer to stay here and wait for Durmstrang, or would you like to go inside and warm up?" McGonagall asked.

"Warm up," Maxime replied coldly. We could feel the irritation in her voice. We, the beautiful and fierce student of Beauxbatons, were shivering sadly like plucked chicken. The crowd of Hogwarts students parted and we walked through them.

I glanced at the sky, filled with thick and grey clouds.

No doubt, I was a long way from home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I was glad when the black mass of Hogwarts students swarmed inside with a few flocks of Durmstrang red. Renée hadn't stopped making fun of the decoration since we had settled on the left middle table, raising her voice on purpose for everyone to hear. Most of our colleagues agreed with her and were whining that they already missed Beauxbatons. I felt like setting them on fire. Maybe they shouldn't have come, if they missed it so much.

Also, Renée could tease but the truth was that the decoration really wasn't that bad. Thick banners were hanging from the walls, each representing a house. Red with a golden lion for Gryffindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, green with a silver snake for Slytherin, and yellow with a black badger for-

"Huffepussy," Lisa said knowledgeably.

"What? There's no such thing as a _Hufflepussy_!"

Lisa looked outraged. "Sure there is! And _you'd_ be one if you studied here, right Chloe?"

Chloe looked at me and smiled.

"I'm not sure," she said. "But even if you were, it wouldn't be so bad."

"Not so _bad_?" Lisa gasped. "Chloe, they're _dull_. I mean, just look at them." I looked over my shoulder at the table behind me. They actually seemed happy and merry with their yellow scarves, all of them smiling with friendly faces. Lisa shuddered. "Ugh. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

"I _would_. What would he do, conjure up evil flowers?"

Lisa high fived me.

"Don't listen to Lisa, I could totally picture you in Gryffindor," Chloe told me matter-of-factly. "You know, because you're brave and fiery."

I blushed at her. "I'm _brave_ and _fiery_? Don't make me laugh."

"And noble," Chloe added sweetly.

"Geez, just get a room already," Lisa said with a sneer.

I ignored her but Chloe blushed furiously. We were already seventeen but she still couldn't handle most of Lisa's jokes.

"Actually," I said, "I think you'd be a Ravenclaw, Chlo. Shy and always hiding behind a book."

Her smiled reappeared. "Thanks."

"Don't _thank_ her! They're like, the second worst house!" A Ravenclaw girl within earshot threw Lisa a dirty look. Lisa stared back defiantly until the girl blushed and finally looked away. "You guys are boring. I, on the other hand, would be a-"

"Slytherin!" Chloe and I yelled at the same time, and then we all laughed.

"Exactly. Which means that we'd all be in different houses and probably wouldn't have been friends in here." She looked around. "No way. I wouldn't trade _any_ of this for Beauxbatons."

Still, I had to give some credit to Hogwarts. Looking around, I couldn't spot a single student who was left apart. They were like a big, united family where everyone was integrated. Sure, the decoration didn't really have the class or luxury of Beauxbatons, but it was cozy in its own ways. I couldn't bring myself to stop stealing glances at the ceiling from time to time. It was wondrous, forming a night sky that reflected fuming grey clouds and was flecked with golden stars.

Our conversation came to an end when the huge doors opened and the teaching staff appeared. The rules in Beauxbatons dictate that everyone must stand up when the Headmistress appears, so we all leapt to our feet when Madame Maxime entered. When I looked around, I noticed that no one from Hogwarts and Durmstrang had done the same. Some of them were actually eyeing us like we were mad. One of the Ravenclaws snorted. I was a bit embarrassed but my other colleagues raised their chins even higher when they realized we were being stared upon. I tried to concentrate my attention on the staff, who seemed to be taking an eternity to reach the table. The Durmstrang Headmaster was limping throughout the corridor. He fairly reminded me of a pirate with his dark beard and rough face.

Finally, they sat. Madame Maxime sat between McGonagall and the Durmstrang Headmaster.

As soon as we sat down, I noticed that Chloe was appalled.

"Did you see that they didn't get up? Where did they get their manners?" She asked disapprovingly under her breath.

"Really? Didn't you feel the tiniest bit of shame?" Lisa hissed back.

" _Shame_? Why would I? I felt _pride_ , not embarrassed."

"Oh don't worry, I was embarrassed enough for both of us!"

Chloe looked at me for support but I only shrugged. Hey, I also had my drop of dignity and no matter how I looked at it, it _had_ been an awkward moment to be standing up while the other looked at us with amusement. Chloe was mortified by my reaction but before she could say anything else, McGonagall began speaking.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and, most particularly, guests. I have great pleasure in welcoming both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students to our school. I hope your stay will be pleasant."

A student whistled and clapped by the Gryffindor table when McGonagall said 'Beauxbatons' but, whoever it was, he was instantly silenced by McGonagall's cold look. I exchanged a look with Lisa and when I saw that she was on the verge of laughing, I just looked away with urgency before I cracked up in that silent room.

McGonagall continued talking but I lost track of the speech when Lisa nudged me.

"Merlin, look at _him_." Lisa glanced at the table and I saw a man - except that he was the size of two and a half men at least. He was giant with a bushy grey beard and he kept glancing at Madame Maxime every time he thought she wasn't looking. We laughed. The idea of Maxime dating was weird.

"The Triwizard Tournament will officially begin at the end of the feast and you will then have the opportunity to insert your name in the Goblet," McGonagall was saying. "In the meanwhile, though, let us begin the banquet."

As soon as she sat down, the plates on the tables were suddenly filled with food and a delicious smell swam through the air. There was an incredible variety of delicious dishes and I just couldn't bring myself to decide which one I wanted the best.

Lisa had no trouble in that department. One second later and she was already digging in the _Boulabaisse_. Chloe was scandalized.

"Why are you trying our typical food? You should take this as a chance for-"

"So five minutes ago you were all for keeping traditions with the standing up and stuff, but now-?"

"It was a matter of _politeness_ ," Chloe snapped. "And I see nothing wrong with our French traditions."

"And might I remind you that I'm Dutch?" Lisa asked with a wink and a triumphant smile.

Chloe had turned positively red and she looked at me for support.

I threw my hands in the air. "I'm not getting involved, I just wanna eat."

Chloe rolled her eyes at me, clearly disappointed with my answer, but she always let me off the hook far more easily than Lisa. Five minutes later, she was already back to normal.

The food was delicious. I ate so much that I felt that I'd burst - the dishes kept refilling themselves so I could repeat whenever I wanted to. And now that we were actually inside the castle, instead of being at home imagining what Hogwarts was like, the prospect of living here for the rest of the year felt much more real. We really felt like this was the beginning of an adventure.

But half an hour into the adventure and I felt a sudden urge to go to the bathroom.

"Just ask one of the Ravenclaw dorks and they'll give you directions."

Again, thanks for being so subtle, Lisa. The Ravenclaws sitting next to us shot me glares like they were daring me to address them. I wouldn't have spoken to them for a million Galleons. Instead, I asked a Slytherin for directions.

"The bathroom's just upstairs," he said with a smile, pointing up. A boy next to him laughed and I thought I saw him kick him to silence him, but maybe I was just being paranoid. I thanked them but couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe he had given me the wrong directions.

Yet I _did_ find the bathroom exactly where he said. I pushed the door open and sure enough, my scared reflection looked back at me in the giant mirror on the front. My brown eyes seemed even brighter in the white ghost light. I headed to one of the stalls when suddenly I froze.

There was a _boy_ on the floor, sitting with the side of his head against a closed stall with his back turned to me.

I frowned. Was he… trying to _hear_ something inside the stall?

Just my luck, finding a creep on the first hour at this new school. I frowned and tried to think of something to do when realized that I had two options - either go back, or ignore him and just take care of my business.

But I really couldn't go back. I didn't trust myself to go back to the Hall and ask directions for _another_ bathroom because I wasn't sure I could hold it that long. But I _really_ wasn't jumping of joy at the prospect of carrying on with my business while a boy was creepily hunched over another girl's stall.

I needed to do something to get his attention. Maybe he'd stop when he realized he had been discovered.

 _Just think of something to say, you idiot. You'll scare him._

"Hum… is this the girls' bathroom?" I tried lamely.

I had expected him to jump to his feet and look at me with embarrassment or shock or anything…

But he didn't move.

Right now, I was at a complete loss.

"Er… do you make a habit of standing there while girls take care of their business?" I chuckled but the sound of my laugh only echoed in the marble walls. Okay, now this was getting ridiculous.

But again, no reply.

So my suspicion started growing into worry.

Because he _wasn't moving_. He really hadn't moved one single inch since I'd arrived some minutes ago.

And right now I was beginning to think that there might be a dead boy in the bathroom.

For precaution, I took my wand off my cloak and walked toward him slowly so that I could see his face. His cheek was against the stall and his head was slightly bent low, but I clearly saw his starting green eyes as they moved up and locked with mine.

I gasped and a flood of relief overcame me. Not dead.

Good. Those vibrant eyes were screaming with life. But then why wasn't he moving?

"I mean, really, what are you playing at?" He didn't answer. If anything, his expressive eyes looked annoyed. And that's when it dawned on me that perhaps he just couldn't move. "You're not… _paralysed_ , are you?"

The expression in his eyes changed to skepticism. He was telling me clearly that _Yes, I am paralysed_. And probably also that I had just make him undergo some humiliating minutes by just standing there talking.

"Right. I'll help you out." I pointed my wand to him, muttered the counterspell for _Petrificus Totallus_ and he instantly let out a relieved sigh.

I didn't lower my guard then and kept pointing my wand at him, but he didn't look dangerous. He groaned, stood up slowly like his legs were still asleep and patted his cloak. He was taller than me, fairly slim with white skin and light freckles over his face. When he looked at me, I was afraid he might start yelling but then he gave me an awkward smile. His dark hair fell to a pair of striking green eyes.

"Sorry about that." He was positively blushing and I'm sure that I was, too. "Thanks for rescuing me."

"Don't worry." I laughed awkwardly. "I don't suppose people do this to you very often?"

"Yeah, not really." He rubbed his neck and winced.

"And I don't suppose that there's a normal explanation either?"

The boy rolled his eyes.

"Well," he said with a big sigh. "My cousin was afraid I might put my name on the Goblet so she paralysed me to make me miss dinner and prevent me to put my name on the goblet." I didn't say anything so maybe he felt obliged to keep talking. "I know I can sign up until tomorrow, but she thought that this would make me reflect on the decision."

I blinked. What was he, insane? He didn't look insane. But again, they never do.

"Your cousin sounds like a lovely person," I told him after a very awkward pause. What else was I supposed to say? He chuckled. "But that doesn't really explain why you're _here_. You know. In the girls' bathroom."

He turned red.

"She thought it would be the safest spot to leave me because no one ever comes into this bathroom." I frowned. "You know, because of Moaning Myrtle."

"Moaning… what?"

"The ghost."

"You've lost me there."

"There's a ghost living here."

Pause.

"There's a ghost living here," I repeated.

"Yes."

"Right now."

"Probably."

A chill ran down my spine. I looked around with a mix of suspicion and disgust but I didn't find anything. So _that_ was why the Slytherin boy had a smile on his face while he gave me directions. The bastard. Maybe it was true after all that all Slytherins are idiots.

"So where is this ghost?"

"There's this big ghost party every Halloween, she's there alright." He bit his lip and continued, "Anyway, does this answer your question as to why I'm here?"

"Yeah. And did it work?"

"What?"

"Your cousin's plan to make you stay out of the competition?"

He smiled.

"Not a chance. If anything, I'm even more determined than before. Oh-" His eyes sprung open. I realized I'd never seen such beautiful green in my life. "Right. You're from Beauxbatons. So you'll be running too."

"Yes."

His smile widened.

"Maybe we'll be rivals, who knows?"

I didn't tell him that Renée would be the champion. I only nodded.

"Let's hope not."

"Why?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"I'd probably kick your ass," I said with a shrug and a teasing smile.

He looked surprised for a second and then he chuckled and blushed. He clearly wasn't used to girls flirting with him. And _I_ wasn't used to flirting. What was happening to me?

"We'll see about that."

A spark of resolution vibrated in his eyes. Maybe he actually believed that he had a shot for the selection. I felt jealous of that 'anything's possible' stance. I thought that there was something special about him.

On the other hand, I _had_ found him paralysed in the girls' bathroom. There was nothing special about that. I didn't judge his cousin for thinking he'd might end up dead.

I realized then that we had run out of things to say. He tilted his head and said awkwardly, "So how are you enjoying Hogwarts?"

"It's nice." He nodded. I smiled but I really didn't want this to turn into a pathetic casual conversation. Also, I wasn't sure if I could stand there talking much longer. My stomach growled. "Well, then, not that I'm not enjoying talking to you, but unless you're planning to stay here all day, this _is_ a girls' bathroom..."

He turned red. "Oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry!"

He gave me a last nervous smile and disappeared.

I stood there until he was gone and then shook my head and chuckled.

Hogwarts students. What a bunch of weirdos.


End file.
